Hontiveros urges NBI to look into new 'pastillas scam'

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday called the attention of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into a new "pastillas scam" scheme involving a travel agency where Chinese nationals allegedly pay P550,000 each for a seamless entry into the country.

“Akala ko COVID-19 lang ang nagmu-mutate, pati pastillas scam na rin pala. Dati pang kasabwat sa korapsyon sa Bureau of Immigration (BI) ang mga travel agencies sa ilegal na pagpapasok ng mga Chinese," Hontiveros said in a statement.

"May pandemya na, nagpapakasasa pa rin ang mga nananamantala,” she added.

Hontiveros said that in one of its operations, the NBI entrapped a liaison officer identified as Vivian Lara who was caught receiving P900,000 to process the papers of three Chinese nationals inside the office of BI prosecutor Atty. Arnulfo Maminta.

The Chinese nationals, according to Lara, are clients of a travel agency.

“Mga Chinese na may mga criminal record nakakapasok dahil sa sabwatan ng travel agency at ng mga korap sa BI," Hontiveros said.

"I’ve called for a BI overhaul before and this needs to happen now as it seems the new scam features the same cast of characters,” she added.

It was only last year when Hontiveros led a series of Senate inquiries into the "pastillas scam," where officials at the BI received P10,000 for every unchecked entry of a Chinese national in the country.

The senator likewise uncovered that travel agencies involved in the scheme offered help to the Chinese nationals who want their names removed from the BI's blacklist in exchange for an amount.

“This is a direct threat to our national security. We’ve already established that Chinese syndicates have exploited our women and children, among many other unspeakable crimes," Hontiveros said.

"Isa sa mga pasimuno ng pagpapasok sa kanila ay mga travel agencies na dati pa ay nagbebenta na ng fake passorts at iba pang pekeng government documents para sa mga Chinese,” she added.

Hontiveros renewed her call to permanently abolish the visa upon arrival (VUA) system for Chinese nationals, which most syndicates use to traffic women into the country.

She also said Chinese visitors should enter the country through channels monitored by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“Dapat matapos na ang VUA. Dapat masibak na ang mga bulok na opisyal sa BI. Dapat mapanagot na ang mga travel agencies. Dapat magkaroon na bakuna kontra korapsyon dahil baka ito pa ang ikamamatay ng Pilipino,” she said.

The NBI has earlier filed complaints against 86 individuals over the "pastillas scam," of which 19 are BI personnel.—AOL, GMA News